Tokyo is a sprawling city.
To pick out a car, Hayato Masaki had visited several dealerships, even venturing beyond Beika City to neighboring Ekoda City.
After checking them out, he was leaning toward a Mercedes-Benz E-W210 he'd seen at a dealership in Ekoda—the same model Natsuki's "dad" drove in Initial D.
Even the fastest AE86 couldn't catch Natsuki in a Mercedes.
Hayato knew the reference but had no ulterior motives; he just liked the car's overall appeal.
It was 4:51 p.m.
Hayato strolled down a commercial street.
Since arriving in this world, he'd mostly stayed in Beika City, making this his first trip to Ekoda.
The unfamiliar streets felt fresh and exciting.
Especially at this hour, with students already out of school, the streets were filled with kids in uniforms distinct from Teitan High's. Hayato enjoyed the contrast.
"The newspapers here are different too…"
He noticed this while grabbing something at a convenience store, glancing at the newsstand.
While detective and crime-solving stories were common, they weren't as pervasive as in Beika. Instead, headlines about a certain thief dominated.
"New Heist Notice!" "Kaito Kid Strikes Again!?" "Inspector Nakamori's Arrest Vow" "Kid vs. Police!" "Museum Gem Targeted"
Titles like these were everywhere.
Kaito Kid…
Ekoda City was his main turf, and Hayato was intrigued by the figure.
He knew Kaito Kid—aka Kuroba Kaito—had been active for some time. Kid's storyline predates Edogawa Conan's slightly.
After all, the original manga featured a pre-shrunk Shinichi Kudo facing off against Kaito Kid, though it was a side story.
"Hey, I heard that fortune-teller's around today!"
"What fortune-teller?"
"The one with the crystal ball stall!"
"What! You mean that elusive fortune-teller!?"
"Yeah, her! They say her predictions are super accurate. My friend confessed after her advice and totally scored."
"No way, really?"
"For real! And she's not just about predictions. I saw her go poof! and vanish in a cloud of smoke!"
"Are you telling ghost stories now?"
"Where is she?"
"Up ahead, I think. Let's hurry!"
Hayato overheard a group of high school girls chatting as they passed by.
A fortune-teller…
Given this was Ekoda City, the stomping grounds of a certain witch, Hayato's curiosity was piqued.
He followed their direction.
Before long, he spotted a small setup in an alley next to a sushi shop.
Calling it a stall wasn't quite right.
It was just a mysterious high table, like a cauldron, framed by four snake heads, with a crystal ball cradled in the center.
"What are my chances of confessing to my crush?" a high school girl asked eagerly, standing before the crystal ball.
The fortune-teller, cloaked in gray and face hidden, hovered her hands over the orb before answering. "Zero. Your crush already has a girlfriend."
"…How can that be?"
"But if you're willing to wait, he'll break up soon."
"R-Really!?"
"Yes, though it'll be because he cheats and moves on right away."
The girl burst into tears and fled.
Kind of a mean streak… Hayato thought.
Yet the line of people waiting didn't thin. Everyone stood eagerly for their turn.
The "elusive fortune-teller" was a local urban legend. No one knew where she came from or her age, only that her predictions were eerily accurate, sometimes seeing straight through people.
Her appearances, though, were totally random.
Hayato joined the queue.
Most were young girls, though a few office workers dotted the line. People asked their questions, then left—some upset, others thrilled.
(Heh…)
Beneath her cloak, Koizumi Akako was in high spirits.
As the heir to Red Magic, she'd mastered impressive magical feats at a young age—divination, alchemy, curses, potions, all second nature.
But Koizumi Akako preferred divination.
In an era where magic stayed hidden, openly wielding it was unwise. Divination, though, had fewer limits.
"Next," she called, dismissing the last client without looking up.
"Can you use divination to find someone's true name?"
"A name?"
The unusual request caught Koizumi Akako off guard.
She glanced up at the man before her.
Just one look—
The vibrant world dulled.
A thick aura of death washed over her vision, draining the scene of color. Only the man before her… he radiated an overwhelming presence.
She stared, transfixed.
"…?"
"Is something wrong?" Hayato's voice was calm, steady.
His gentle tone carried a vivid allure, yet Koizumi Akako sensed an uncanny stillness—like death itself.
And his eyes…
What should've been dark irises gleamed blood-red in her sight…
Vivid, lifeless, reaper-like eyes…
Under their gaze, life felt nonexistent.
This guy's dangerous!
Koizumi Akako had never encountered such a being.
A primal dread gripped her, her instincts screaming of mortal peril—as if her life could be snatched away any moment.
"…To divine someone's name, you'd need an item tied to their essence or personal traits," she said, forcing her voice to stay even.
Divining a name… could she even do that?
Hayato's mind raced with possibilities.
He eyed the delicate hands hovering over the crystal ball, assuming the cloaked figure was Koizumi Akako.
"Got it. I'll come back once I have something like that."
"Sure."
She agreed, but Koizumi Akako had no intention of meeting this dangerous guy again!
As Hayato stepped aside for the next person, she was grateful for her cloak's anonymity.
No more fortune-telling for a while!
With that, she stood. "That's all for today's readings!"
The crowd groaned.
But that was the "elusive fortune-teller" for you—when she was done, she'd vanish on a whim.
Amid the onlookers' gasps, Koizumi Akako swept her cloak, hiding her magical tools, and disappeared in a burst of purple smoke.
Definitely her… Hayato thought, considering he might need to build a rapport with her in the future.
***
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